With the advent of computers and distributed computing environments, including the Internet, and a variety of intranets, computer users regularly send and receive electronic mail to and from friends, acquaintances and business associates. Unfortunately, often electronic mail users receive electronic mail from unknown senders that is undesirable or even offensive in some manner. Similarly, sometimes electronic mail users receive undesirable electronic mail from known senders. For example, an electronic mail user may receive a message alerting the user of a computer virus to avoid. The user may operate her computer as part of a system that regularly scans for viruses, and therefore, the user would rather not receive virus notices by electronic mail. For another example, often, electronic mail users receive electronic mail from unknown or undesirable senders containing text or attachments that include highly offensive material such a pornographic language or images.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a method and system for allowing an electronic mail user to block receipt of undesirable electronic mail. There is further need for a method and system for allowing an electronic mail user to block receipt of undesirable mail and to send a return message to the sender of the undesirable mail indicating that such undesirable mail should not be sent to the user in the future. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present invention has been made.